The present invention relates generally to wireless telecommunication devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a holster for detecting the presence of a telecommunication device.
Recent trends in consumer electronics have shown an increasing demand for smaller and lighter portable telecommunication devices, such as pagers, personal digital assistants and cellular telephones among others. As a result, these devices have become easily subject to loss or theft, without the knowledge of the owner. A particular problem exists for those applications where the device is worn on a belt clip, cradle or in a holster. For example, user actions such as sitting down or putting on or removing articles of clothing can dislodge the device from a holster, without the owner noticing. In addition, wearing the device on one""s person but not directly in one""s line of sight, such as with a belt holster, can readily subject the device to theft.
Typically, clips, cradles or holsters, only provide a mechanical connection for holding the device in question. However, in some cases the cradle or holster provides an electrical connection, such as an impedance, for use with an insertable electronic device in order for the electronic device to determine whether it is inserted into the cradle or holster. In this way, the electronic device changes it function, such as a display orientation. In these cases, the intelligence of determine whether the device has been inserted into a cradle or holster remains in the device, with the cradle or holster only providing a minor electrical function to provide a sensor or detect function. Moreover, the above cases do not provide any functionality to alert a user when a device is removed from the cradle or holster.
Given the demand for smaller telecommunication devices and wireless products, a holster or cradle needs to be realized that will insure that a user""s capital investment will be secured from incidents of loss either through accident or theft. What is needed is a cradle or holster that has self-contained circuitry to provide an alert to a user when the device is removed or displaced from the cradle or holster. It would also be particularly advantageous to provide operational control to defeat any alert when the device is intentionally removed from the cradle or holster.